Saudi PDPL approved; Adia Lab to open in Spain

Middle East AI News weekly news digest...

Good morning!

Here’s your weekly Middle East AI News!

News just in, Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers approved the new Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) on Tuesday, moving another step forward towards implementing the law. No details available at the moment.

In other news, Abu Dhabi’s new digital and AI-focused R&D initiative Adia Lab will open a European headquarters in Spain; MBZUAI is to research brain health together with Chinese research firm IBT; Lucid Motors expects the first EVs to roll out of its Saudi production facility in September; and Dubai Drydocks embraces the metaverse!

I also have several reports to share this week. You’ll find links to the new MBRSG report on AI’s impact on the Dubai economy and the ITU report on the Global Digital Regulatory Outlook below. You can also download a new report on Digitalisation as a Driver of Economic Resilience report from the World Economic Forum and the Saudi Ministry of CIT via Linkedin here.

Thanks for reading!

/Carrington

---

R&D

MBZUAI and IBT to tackle brain health

#UAE #therapeutics - Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Infinite Brain Technologies Limited (IBT) have entered a five-year R&D agreement, which will see a joint research lab created to develop precise, personalised digital therapeutics (DTx) for human brain health. (Emirates News Agency)

ADIA Lab to establish its European headquarters in Spain

#UAE #Spain #R&D - ADIA Lab, the research institute launched by sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Investment Authority announced in October last year, will set up its European headquarters in the Spanish city of Granada. Five research programmes will be launched with Spanish universities and research institutions. (The National)

Saudi Data Law

Council of Ministers approve new Saudi data law

#Saudi #PDPL - Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers approved amendments to the country's new Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) on Tuesday, which was planned to come into effect this week. No further details about enforcement of the new law or the amendments that have been adopted have yet been announced. (Linkedin)

Startups

Saudi Arabia’s Aumet raises $7 million pre-Series A round

#Saudi #funding - AI-enabled B2B healthcare platform Aumet, has raised a $7 million pre-Series A funding round from AAIC, a Tokyo-based healthcare-focused venture capital, the Swiss PE firm AIJ Holdings, Hamad Ali Sagri family office, Tijah Holdings, Cigalah Group and existing investor Shorooq Partners. (Wamda)

Moroccan AI-powered talent management startup Palm raises $1.9m

#Morocco #funding - CDG Group’s investment arm, CDG Invest, participated in the seed fundraising round for AI-powered talent platform Palm, alongside the KIMA Ventures and Bpifrance funds, among others, for a total of 20 million Moroccan dirhams ($1.9M). CDG Invest contributed 6.3 million dirhams to the financing. (Afrikan Heroes)

Government

MBRSG launches report on AI impact on digital economy

#UAE #research - The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) has published a detailed report on AI's impact on Dubai's economy, in partnership with Digital Dubai and Microsoft. The study is based on three surveys of Dubai's government and private sector. Download the report. (Zawya)

Dubai launches “04” unified interactive feedback platform

#UAE #digitalgovernment - Dubai has launched “04,” a platform connecting Dubai Government and its customers with a view to encouraging them to contribute to enhancing Dubai’s government services. The platform enables customers to submit suggestions, comments and complaints in three steps via an omnichannel experience. (Emirates News Agency)

Dubai Customs innovates with drones, AI and the Metaverse

#UAE #customs - From floating drones, underwater robots, predictive AI and an expansion in the metaverse – Dubai Customs is embracing innovation as it steps up its mission to safeguard the UAE’s borders. Dubai Customs recently organized the “Future Foresight Forum” during the UAE Innovation Month 2023. (Al Arabiya)

Diplomatic community looks to metaverse to accelerate efforts

#UAE #diplomacy - Diplomatic communities are displaying an increasing inclination towards adopting tech-enabled diplomacy in the metaverse, as suggested by a joint report by Accenture and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) titled "Amplifying Diplomacy with the Metaverse." Download report. (Emirates News Agency)

Education

Dubai Drydocks launches VR training programme

#UAE #virtualreality - Leading maritime service provider Drydocks World Dubai this week announced the launch of virtual reality training in line with Dubai's Metaverse Strategy. Drydocks World expects that the new VR training solution will cut training costs, save time and replace a great deal of physical training with virtual training. It's estimated that VR could save the organisation the equivalent of 15,000 training hours per year. (Linkedin)

Digital Readiness

Saudi Arabia ranks fourth globally in digital systems preparedness

#Saudi #digitalreadiness - Saudi Arabia has ranked second among the G20 members and fourth globally in the preparedness of digital systems, according to a report released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Download the ITP report (Zawya)

Industry 4.0

Lucid Motors to roll out first Saudi-EVs in September

#Saudi #EVs - US-based Lucid Motors is set to roll out its first fully Saudi-assembled electric car in September. According to Faisal Sultan, Lucid vice president, and managing director in the Middle East, the manufacturer will soon begin installing equipment in its plant, which is located in King Abdullah Economic City, near Jeddah. (Arab News)

AI Diplomacy

Egypt’s ICT ministry, UNDP step up AI cooperation

#Egypt #UNDP - The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology signed a project agreement with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to promote the use of AI by providing technical and institutional support to the ministry’s Applied Innovation Center (AIC). The project will push AIC’s goals to levearage new technologies to meet national challenges. (Zawya)

Defence

GAMI launches new digital platform to boost foreign investment

#Saudi #FDI - The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) has launched a new digital platform (sorry, no URL!) through which local and international investors will be able to access opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s defense industry. The Military Industries Enabler initiative will give investors a background of the sector in the Kingdom, including policies, procedures, demand, and incentives. (Arab News)

Rapid Development in the Navy

#Bahrain #USNavy - In the fall of 2021, the US Navy stood up Task Force 59 (TF 59), the first U.S. Navy task force of its kind, designed to rapidly integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence with maritime operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet. (Ocean News)